Monday, June 10, 2013

Kaymele part 11/ Nithron (part 1 of maybe 2)

~Nithron~

As soon as she ran I felt worse than I'ld ever felt before. I never intended to say anything hurtful, it just slipped out and there's no excuse for it. Just as I reached the door, she slammed it in my face. I was now angry at myself and at Nuvole, he was the one who tipped me off about her being a princess.
I punch the wall outside the door, and sink to the ground. I truly thought she was finished hiding, but I guess figuring her out is going to take longer than I thought.
Pulling myself together, I leave to find Nuvole. I need to know why he told me about her and where he got his information. He must not be inside, Kaymele would've thrown him out by now. He must be visiting Nairi, and telling her all he knows, and if it's anything to make her so protective of herself then it must be something more important then that she's a princess. I round the corner and nearly run smack into Nairi.
'HEY, watch where you're going!' she shouts.
'Sorry, I didn't expect to run into you. Aren't you suppose to be in bed. You're still not well, and Anakis will be very worried when she finds you've gone,'
'I'll worry about that later, I'm looking for Nuvole. I just have to find him,' she exclaims.
'Well it just so happens that I'm looking for him too. Do you mind if I help you search?' I ask.
'Would you?' she asks. I nod, 'Oh thank you. If you'll look in the camp, I'll check around Beleg's tent, the main infirmary, and the kitchen.'
At that we go and search for Nuvole. I search all throughout the camp, checking around each and every tent. The well was next and there was no one even near it.
After about three hours of searching around the camp, I search for Nairi to see if she found anything. It doesn't take me long to find her, as she has returned to the infirmary to rest. I walk through the door, and she greets me with a smile. Adonis is, as usual, right beside her and greets me with a glare.
'Nairi have you found Nuvole? I searched all over, but had no luck,' I murmur breathily.
'I found him in the kitchen, but he left to talk to Beleg. After that I don't know where he'll be, but he'll probably come by and visit me at some point,'
'Thanks Nairi, I have to talk to him,' I say.
I swiftly walk to Beleg's tent, only to find it deserted. Beleg and Nuvole aren't in the tent or around it. As I circle around it for the second time, Beleg comes walking up with his hands filled with weapons. Just before he drops one I catch it, and take a few more to lighten the load.
'Thank you Nithron, I was worried I wouldn't make it,' he says wiping the sweat off his brow.
'No problem. Has Nuvole been here?' I ask.
'Oh yes, he's been here telling me all he knows about Aragathia, even some about how we can get inside and out without being spotted,'
'Do you know where he is?'
'The last time I saw him, he was headed towards the infirmary,'
'Thanks, I need to talk to him,' I say as I walk back to the infirmary. As it gets closer I notice that the door to Nairi's room is open. I poke my head inside, and find Nairi back in bed. Adonis is by her side fiddling with a ball. I step further in and I hear a low growl from Adonis, and wonder what he's upset about. I walk around to the other side of the room and kneel at the bedside.
'I haven't found Nuvole anywhere, but I was wondering if...' I start, but then a tall figure cast a shadow over me, and as I stand and turn to face whom it belongs to. Though I've already guessed who it is, it's Nuvole.

~Kaymele~

~Earlier that day~

With a heavy heart and angry tears I slowly pack a small bag. Just enough to get me there and never return. There's a soft knock at the door, and Nuvole comes in. I don't even turn to greet him, I spin around and throw and ball of water at him, but before it reaches his face he turns it into ice and shatters on the floor. Whipping my head around again I melt the water and reform the ball, but instead of cold I made it boiling hot. Instead of his face this time I aimed for his feet, and just like before his froze it solid.

'You'll never get me with water,' he whispered with a small chuckle.

'You had no right!'

'I had every right, look, I didn't know Nithron was out of the picture of your family tree, but come on it's not that bad is it?'

'Oh, no. It's not bad at all, not bad until you get to the part where I'm going back to my people to possibly be executed, not to mention that Nithron wishes that he'd never met or rescued me,' I pause to catch my breath, 'I just can't take it anymore!'

'I thought you were innocent of all your crimes?'

'I am, but nothing I can say, or do will ever change the minds of my people. My only wish was to keep my family safe, but even that I could not regain control over.'
'Yes, your sister, but who in all Incantivole is this Rinion?' he asks.
Once again he has been reading through my journal.
'He...He was my betrothed, but he died before we were married,'
'He just died?'
'No, he was killed, by pirates who were selling weapons to the trolls, ogres, and goblins. They killed him because he had found them out, and stopped them. And that day still haunts my nightmares along with my sister,' I say trembling.
For a while we just stand there thinking, and trying to take in everything that's been said. Nuvole rubs his eyes and sits on the little stool beside the door. I sit on the bed clutching the bag I was packing.
'So, you're really leaving?' he asks timidly.
'It seems as though I'm really not wanted around here, I stayed because I wanted to fight, and I couldn't return to my people without guaranteeing my death. Nithron saved me from my people, and I would do anything for him,'
'Accept tell him who you really are?' interjects Nuvole.
'I would have told him in due time, but the moment never presented itself and I didn't want to be treated different. How could you possibly understand? If he would have known things would have been, well, awkward between us and I never would have gotten to know him like I do now,' there's a pause as I watch Nuvole's face for any expression, but none is forthcoming, 'I don't blame him for being angry, but the implication that there was something going on between us, was almost insulting.'
'Is that what he said!?' he exclaims as he rubs the back of his neck, and his face reddens with blush.
'Oh, um, yes... h..he did say that,' I stutter, as I feel my own cheeks becoming hotter by the second, 'but I assured him that there was nothing between us. It doesn't matter, I'm leaving.'
'Well, if you're sure. You've saved my life and took care of Nairi, and for that I thank you with as much gratitude as I have. You are the bravest, kindest, and the most wonderful person I've had the pleasure of knowing. I'm just sorry to see our friendship end this way,' he says sorrowfully.
'Thank you, Nuvole. I'm sorry it had to end this way too,' we embrace, and he leaves.

~Nithron~

I cautiously rise to my feet, and come almost eye to eye with him, he being the shorter. His countenance was of a man looking for answers, and possibly a fight. I'm sure I was the same, and so there we stand.

'Can I talk to you outside?' he urges.

'It depends on the topic,' I say half jokingly.

'About one whom shall remain nameless here, but means great deal to both of us. Now can I please talk to you outside?'

I walk towards the door, and let him pass through first. His long strides taking him no time at all to get him outside.

'Do you want me to come with you?' says Adonis placing a hand on my shoulder.

'No, thanks for the offer, but I'd better handle this alone,' I say starting out the door.

'Alright, but don't hesitate to call if you're in need of help,'

I nod my head, but my thoughts are elsewhere. I follow Nuvole across the grassy plain to a broken down, stone building. The gate stood open and we both entered. Nuvole started pacing as if trying to find a good way to broach the topic he wanted to discuss.

'Why don't you just ask me about Kaymele?' I ask curtly.

'Not to be rude, but you should be asking me about her. Because apparently you don't know much about her,' he pauses slightly and crosses his arms, 'You didn't know her when you took her from her people, or why you were rescuing her in the first place. And you didn't know her well enough to know we never had a relationship past friendship, and you still don't know her now.'

I cross my arms and lean against the wall. The sad truth was that I didn't know her as well as I had imagined, and I may never as long as I live. Nuvole patiently waits for me to contemplate everything he's said.

'Well Nithron, are you sure you want to know her?' says Nuvole.

'I suppose now I have no choice,'

'Ah, but you do. Though it seems to me, that a man that goes to such great lengths to find out about a fair lady, is quite infatuated with her,' he says discreetly, 'Why do you need to know so much about her, and her life. Could you possibly be in love with her?'

This question alarms me, because I've never thought myself saying those words aloud. I recount my actions of the morning. All morning I have searched for the man who seems to know everything about Kaymele, and once I've found him I question the need for information about her.

'Nuvole, I think you may have struck a good question, and this is all quite confusing. But I think I am in love with her. Though is it possible to love someone I don't truly know?' I ask.

A smile spreads across his face, and his answer is simple. 'I believe so. I can tell you what I know and only that much. That way you won't be in the dark for too long.'

'Many thanks friend,'

'Do not thank me yet, for the tale I have to tell is terrible indeed,' he says.

~Kaymele~

I turn and take one last look at the room, and pick up my pack, and my bow and arrows. This room may be one of the last things I see that brings back good memories. 'I will have to get Florentide to stay and fight, even if she follows me back I won't let her stick around and be killed. She is needed here, and now that Adonis is back, she has an interpreter, and I'm sure Nithron can talk to her as well.' This all runs through my head as I quietly close the door. Naneth always used to say that when a door is closed, in time another will open. I just wish the door I closed would reopen, because as hard as I try I cannot deny the fact that I have a deeper feeling for Nithron than just friendship. I feel the same way I used to feel about Rinion.

As I turn the corner of the building Florentide glides down obviously sensing my thoughts. I try to hide in the shadows of the building, but it's no use, she's already seen me.

'And where are you going?' she asks.

'Back home, to face whatever fate I must. Nithron and I had a fight, and he said he wished he had never rescued me. So I will return, and most likely never come back.'

'I will go with you,'

'No, you must stay and help fight. I know how much you don't like Adonis, but you must use him to comunicate.'

'I am not under your control, and I will go or stay as I please.' she quips.

'But if you go back and I'm killed the next one to be dead will be you, and I can't ask you to sacrifice yourself for me.' she huffs and paws the ground, 'No, you don't you are a very wise and noble companion, you have stayed with me all my life. But I beg of you, do not throw away your life because of me.' I say, tears starting to weld up in my eyes. I run up and hug her scaly fore-leg. 'You're too wonderful to loose, I will never forget you,'

'And I will never forget you Kaymele, be safe in there, it's quite dangerous.' she says leaning her head down to my level, 'Here take this,' she pulls off a scale and it falls into my hands, 'If you have this, I will always be able to find you, if you don't go back home that is.'

'Thank you.' I say gently placing it in the pack, 'goodbye, Florentide.'

She bows her head, and I step into the forest. Trekking through the forest looked easy, but with the traps and the ever changing trees make it an exceptional hardship. After a while I felt myself going uphill, and I can feel the trees are watching my every step. One of them lifted a root and cause me to fall flat on my face, and I hear them sway with laughter. I stop briefly to eat some bread and cheese, then start off again.

As I start to descend the hill I trip on another root and roll down the hill right into a slightly marshy area. I lie there, a bit dizzy, and stare up at the sky. Slowly I sit up and try to see how far off course I've fallen, gingerly I lift my arm and there's a scratch from my wrist to my elbo, and a small trickle of blood starts to flow when I feel a sharp pain across my foot. When I look down at it, nothing appears close enough to have scratched it. I rise warily, and pull out my bow and load it, looking all around to find whatever seems to be attacking me. More shots of pain to my legs first from the right then from the left. My legs are bleeding profusely now, and still I don't see anything.

Just then I feel the sharp jabs start attacking my back and arms. Before I could shoot an arrow, my arms were wrapped in vines, the bow falls to the ground, I feel them wrapping around my legs and waist. Terrified, I let out a scream before one had wrapped itself around my neck and squeezed it silent. Still they moved so quickly that I still couldn't see them slashing with their sharp ends. Digging deeper into my flesh, I was starting to black out from lack of blood and air, but before I totally blacked I spot a figure running down the hill with a drawn sword. I try to call for help, but the vine tightened it's grip, and I saw no more.

~Nithron~

'I just can't believe she could ever have done that,' I say.

'It's the truth, I was the best spy in the kingdom. Nothing got past me,' he boasts.

We walk outside and towards Kaymele's room. The door is still closed, but she may still be inside. The windows have the curtains drawn, and there is no light behind them to suggest people inside.

'Do you think she's left yet?'

'She was still packing when I talked to her,' says Nuvole.

'Won't hurt to check. I must apologies to her and you for everything I said, I was jealous, and...'

'I understand, there's no need to explain,'

After several knocks on the door, I try the knob. Shockingly it's unlocked, and swings open easily. I start to worry. 'Could she have already gone? Oh Kaymele where are you?'

'Lets ask Florentide, hopefully she's still here,' I say rushing out the door.

No sooner had I spoke when Florentide came flying in. 'Are you looking for Kaymele?' she asks.

The sensation of another inside ones own mind is slightly alarming, 'Yes, do you know where she's gone?'

'Into the Tawarthion, she left about half an hour ago,' she says warily.

'Thank you, you have been most helpful,'

'Why did you need to know? You broke her heart, and she's had that happen more times than most people would ever have in a immortal lifetime,'

'Because, I intend to mend her heart. Do you not see Florentide, I'm in love with her,' I exclaim.

She gives a little huff, 'She went that way, follow her I sense she's in grave danger.'

'I will,' I turn to Nuvole, 'I am going after her.'

'You'll be killed, I'm coming with you,'

'I've lived here for ten years, and all that time I studied the Tawarthion. I know all it's traps and tricks, and you're not fully recovered. Just stay here, I can't guaranty your safety,' I replied.

'Be careful, those woods are treacherous,'

'I will friend,' and with that I run the direction Florentide said Kaymele left.

After several miles of trekking I find the remains of a fire and some bread crumbs. Just then I hear a scream, and only one person I know could scream like that. The sound came from over the hill. I pick up my pace and run as fast as I dare to the top of the hill. As I begin the descent, I here a rustling at the bottom, and the first thing that I can think of that makes that sound is Slasher Vines.

These vines attack at the slightest smell of blood, and live in marshy places where the going is rough. They slash your flesh with their very sharp ends which are poisoned. The strange thing is the tips of these vines have very little amounts of poison, so they first try to bleed the victim to death and slowly poison them at the end.

As I reach a certain point on the hill I see the long red hair and the tan skin, then I know it's Kaymele. I draw my sword and run the rest of the way down the hill.

'BACK! Back you vile creature!' I shout. Lifting my sword I cut through several vines. They release her body, letting it fall to the ground with a thunderous crash. They turn their attack to me with squeals and rustling noises. I wave my sword wildly, missing more times than hitting. The vines dart in and out faster and faster, slashing across my skin. Looking everywhere for the source I trip several times and the vines grab my ankles and pull me back slashing faster than before. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye I see a clump of vines off to the left of me. I cut the vines holding my ankles and run towards it raising my sword high. I bring it down on the tangle again and again, until the vines recede back into the forest with cries of pain and loud rustling.

Picking myself up I turn to see Kaymele's blood covered body lying limp on the ground. I hurry as fast as I can over to her, but the pain in my ankle tells me, I sprained it. Carefully I kneel beside her, and gently brush back her hair, to see her beautiful face, and lift her into my arms.

'Oh Kaymele, what have I done,' I gently kiss her forehead, and begin the long trek back to Revelin.

In the few cuts I received I could feel the poison racing through my veins, and I could only guess that time was running out for Kaymele. Her face was getting paler by the minute as we journeyed back.

An hour later, we finally reach the edge of Revelin, the sky is going dark and the stars are starting to come out. Florentide and Nuvole are waiting about thirty yards away, and they run towards us.

'What happened?' he exclaims.

'Slasher Vines, quick I must get her to Anakis. Go, run ahead and get help,'

~Kaymele~

I fade in and out of unconsciousness, though every time I come back into consciousness a wave of pain surges through me. Only occasionally do I feel the jostling of the man who's carrying me. I still don't know who it is, just that his presence is familiar and comforting.

'How long has she been like this?' I faintly hear Anakis say.

'About an hour, she was attacked by Slasher Vines,' says Nithron.

'Alright, tell me about the vines. What do they do?'

'Well, with every slash they inflict, a small amount of poison is injected, But they only attack when they smell blood. I couldn't find anything at the time, and the cuts were too numerous. But then you showed me that cut on her arm,' Nithron says.

All these voices seem to swirl inside my head. Suddenly I feel a tremendous drawing out feeling all over my body, and a ripping in my side where something sharp had lodged itself. After all this, I feel myself go totally numb, I wonder if I will even be able to open my eyes.

When I do manage to open my eyes, the first thing I do is lean over the bed and retch the bit of food I had left in me. Everything looks so blurry and filmy, and a man walks up and gently wipes my face with a dry cloth. Slowly the world starts to come into focus, and it's Nithron, wiping my mouth with one hand and stroking my hair with the other. His blue eyes focusing intently into my brown ones, and a small smile forms on his lips.

'You're finally awake. I thought we had lost you,'

'What happened?' I whisper.

'You were attacked by Slasher Vines, and were nearly killed, but not to worry Anakis healed you...' he says, but he looks as if he wants to say more but is held back.

'But, how did I get away? All I can remember is a figure running towards me with a drawn sword,' I say.

'That was me,' he says quietly.

'You? But why would you do that? You said...' I start, but he puts a finger to my lips.
'I was wrong, so very wrong. Kaymele, I only said those things because I thought that I was loosing you to Nuvole, because... I... umm,'
'Yes?'
'The truth is, that I never want you to leave ever. I'll always keep you safe, and I'ld kill anyone who would hurt you,' he rambles.
'Nithron, what are you saying?' I ask.
'I think I'm in love with you,'
There is silence between us, as we stare at each other. His eyes filled with truth, and love. I try to stop the tears of joy from spilling over my cheeks but it's useless.
'Kaymele, have I said something wrong? What's the matter?' he asks.
'Nothing's wrong, but for the last few weeks I have also fallen in love with you,'
The biggest smile crosses his face and I'm sure the same is on mine. We would have embraced each other, but the cot and my wounds prevented it. Instead Nithron gently kisses my forehead and continues to stroke my hair. Slowly I raise my hand and gently touch his cheek, and he takes it in both his hands and caresses it. Both of us oblivious of the danger soon to befall us both.